The Story of Mikhail Moonshadow
by silent-jackal
Summary: A character background story for a live action role playing group I once belonged to


_This is a small one shot story that details the background of one of my characters in a LARP I used to play in called NERO. I own nothing in here except for the characters Krys and Mikhail Moonshadow, all other things belong to either their players or NERO Intl._

_Best place I could find to post this on-line _

Krys rolled over in his bunk, awoken by the persistent tapping at the door. "Alright already I am coming!" He climbed slowly out of the bunk being careful to move slowly as to not disturb the other occupant of the wagon. Since becoming Dedikai to the clan his relationship with Rosa Moonshadow had blossomed into something a little more in depth than mere adventuring companions.

He opened the door to see Kestra smirking at him, "So Krys, how fare you this morning? And how does my sister Rosa?"

"Fine Kestra, though if my head doesn't stop pounding soon I might have to swear off of the Hooch for a few days. Your sister sleeps well. What may I do for you?"

"The Rose Mother wishes Rosa to handle the matter contained in this letter as part of her training, and wishes to see you to discuss matters within your mind."

"Very well, let me throw a shirt on and I will be right there." Krys took the letter and closed the door on Kestra's now silently laughing face. "Rosa! I need you to wake up please. There is a message here the Rose Mother wishes you to deal with."

As always the mere mention of the matriarch of the Moonshadow clan stirred the young woman to action. She held out her hand as Krys placed the letter in it and said "I am off to speak to the Rose Mother as well myself. I will meet you when she is done with me." At Rosa's distracted nod he leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead 'May your day be bright my beautiful, beautiful gypsy lady!" He whispered as he left the wagon.

Rosa just sat and stared and the familiar handwriting on the letter, surely not after all this time. "Oh my cousin what has become of you?" She cried silently as she opened the letter and read its tale.

_To the Rose Mother,_

_Mother, I am writing to tell you as you already know I am sure, that I am alive and relatively well. In this letter I will tell you all that has happened and why I have not written for the past five years._

_On my 21st natal day I did vanish from the ability of the Clan to contact me. I was rather drunk and somehow ended up aboard a ship at sea. I was awoken by the boot of the first mate who dragged me to the captain as a stowaway! I really do not remember as to how I ended up on that ship but I know that I would not have stowed away. The Captain a kindly man named Dumas offered me the option of either swimming to shore or serving on the crew for the term of a year and a day and he would forget the crime of which I was accused. I accepted the second offer obviously. Mother, I had found my calling! I sailed with them on seas and rivers and saw many strange and wondrous things. I did try to write back to the clan to inform you of what had transpired truly I did. But, somehow I ended up in the taverns and pubs and had to be dragged bodily back to the ship or ...bailed out of the stocks for brawling._

_At the end of my contracts I always signed a new one to keep doing what I had grown to love so. The smell of the salty air and the fights against pirates and the occasional bar brawl. I have failed to mention that the ship I was on is a Privateer sent to hunt pirate vessels by the order of Emperor Cornelious, may he rest in peace and never rise again. Mother something happened later that drove me off the ship and home again to heal. I fell in love with a gaje women we had rescued from a captured pirate vessel. I believe it started when she attacked me bare handed as I came through the doorway into the brig in which both her and a few other prisoners were being held. She had flashing green eyes and flaming red hair, truly a sight to behold. Her name was Tasha, I later would learn that she was a disowned noble lady from the family Bentwaters. She joined the crew and Dumas assigned the two of us to many of the same tasks. Now when I went ashore I honestly admit to forgetting about sending a letter to you all. I never really forgot about my betrothal to Kestra and had informed my love about this and our relaxed marriage customs where a man may have many wives. She was agreeable to this only on the account that I marry her first. We had arranged a marriage ceremony to take place and we both had decided to leave the crew when we reached the town of Freeport. All was going well and I awaited that day with baited breath._

_Two weeks before the ceremony we were attacked by a group of pirate vessels.  
We managed to outrun two of the larger ones but had to turn and do battle with the smallest of the three. Dumas ordered Tasha and I to stay under cover and to assist the healers in recovering the wounded. I do not quite remember what happened after that as I was shot in the eye by an arrow and fell unconscious. When I awoke a few hours later they told me Tasha had died her final death trying to save me. We buried her at sea with the other crewmen we had lost. I miss her still to this day and whenever I hear a light hearted laughter or the wind beating against a sail I remember her.  
She was my sun and now I live in darkness._

_I did inform her family of the tragedy only to be rebuffed at the door by her father. Her youngest brother Nicholas however was truly grieved to hear the news and I hold a small place in my heart for his welfare because of this. I know that Kestra and I should be married but I fear that I can not take such a task on right now until I can figure some way to ease my burden and my guilt._

_But then again you probably have seen all or some of this in the cards you read so well. Please to inform my mother that I am well and will be home soon for a little while. I have heard that my father has performed the funeral ceremony for me and has grieved for my being lost. In truth I have been lost to him since I turned 16. We never truly have seen eye to eye on anything though one does not say no to my papa easily. If you wish to inform him that is fine if not I will lose no sleep over it. Knowing him he will probably say that his son is dead and refuse to acknowledge me if you told him._

_I plan to locate my camp in Vargus and help Kestra and Rosa with the operating of the tavern in that town. If any other family wish to see me let them meet me here._

_My apologies for the lack of word about me and for causing all grief. I have been a stupid, silly and love-struck gypsy._

_Mikhail Moonshadow of the family Shadow(unless my papa refuses to acknowledge me)_


End file.
